The Quiet Skies Coalition will be holding a Community Meeting to discuss the latest news on the FAA and airplane noise over Burien on Tuesday, April 24, starting at 6:30 p.m. at Gregory Heights Elementary School.

The group plans to provide a brief 15-minute update, offer suggestions of things they need to do, and answer questions.

Organizers hope that the FAA has incorporated their recommendations, yet “fear they oppose everything we have suggested.”

“If they are in opposition, a confrontation will be inevitable and protracted,” they said. “We will once again need strong community support to demonstrate Burien’s resolve.”

On Monday, April 2, the FAA postponed an April 3 meeting with the local group.

“Although we’re not sure, we are speculating that the FAA was about to present their mitigation proposal.

“We will be inviting the media and governmental representatives,” Quiet Skies added. “Most importantly, we want to demonstrate to the FAA that we remain firmly committed and well organized. Therefore, it is imperative that YOU show up and demonstrate our resolve.”

For nearly twenty months, the Quiet Skies Coalition committee has been working on behalf of ALL citizens in our city of Burien and the FAA is about to make a decision in response to our petition.

The city filed our petition with the ninth circuit court in San Francisco on February 14, 2017 and we have technically been in the mediation stage of our dispute resolution. However, we have had few meetings and the departures over our city have continued. Moreover, the FAA has not replied to the over 700 comments to their June Preliminary Environmental Analysis (PEA). There have been minimal conversations, many delays and postponements, no collaboration, and no procedural information voluntarily offered or explained. In addition, Quiet Skies Coalition was never allowed to attend any meetings with the FAA.

On Tuesday, April 3, the FAA had scheduled a meeting with the city manager and attorney and our contract attorney from San Francisco. We had no idea what the FAA was planning to announce at this meeting. However, on Monday evening, April 2, the FAA postponed the meeting. Although we’re not sure, we are speculating that the FAA was about to present their mitigation proposal.

Why are we having this community meeting now? We hope that the FAA has incorporated our recommendations, yet fear they oppose everything we have suggested. If they are in opposition, a confrontation will be inevitable and protracted. We will once again need strong community support to demonstrate Burien’s resolve.

Since February of 2017, the city has a new mayor and many new council members, some of who were not here to witness the city’s decision to file our petition. They need to know that our community still cares about protecting the skies over Burien and that we greatly appreciate their unwavering support.

At our meeting, we plan to provide a brief 15-minute update, offer suggestions of things we need to do, and answer your questions. We will be inviting the media and governmental representatives. Most importantly, we want to demonstrate to the FAA that we remain firmly committed and well organized. Therefore, it is imperative that YOU show up and demonstrate our resolve.

We believe the FAA is about to impose their solution. If we get this wrong, there will be NO “do-over’s” or second chances. Their tactic of “delay and concur” would have worked, having successfully allowed antipathy to set in and indifference erode our conviction.

THERE IS STRENGTH IN NUMBERS! BRING YOUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS AND COME TO THE MEETING!